Well, That Just Tipped The Awkward Scale
by OhGoodnessMarie
Summary: A series of drabbles. Drabble 4. He hated summer with a deep, undying passion. The only thing he hated more then that was that annoying shadow guy. Seriously, would it be alright if he just dropped him off the side of a building or something?
1. Pouring Love Part 1

Well, That Just Tipped the Awkward Scale

A Series of Drabbles

** Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice. Sorry. Just don't. **

** Author's Note: So, I hope you enjoy. They're kind of longer then the usual drabble but still a little too short to be an actual one-shot. A drabble-shot? You can call them that if you want. :) **

1. Pouring Love (Part 1)

MikanxNatsume

_ "Man, it's pouring out there. And I wanted to go to Central Town. Shit." _One of his classmate's thoughts ran through Koko's own head. The mind reader couldn't agree more. It was a particularly rainy Friday, like many other days in May. This kind of weather had always put a damper on his mood. His partner in crime, aka Kitsu, was out sick and Koko was left alone to bask in the many thoughts of his other peers.

He was entirely too bored when Kitsu wasn't there. Even making Sumire pissed off wouldn't help him. Granted he should, since all she was doing was drooling over Natsume. In her mind and physically. But he sat in his seat in the very back of the room like a good little boy. A migraine was settling into his skull.

It was the very beginning of the morning, and it was oddly silent for a class being "taught" by Assistant-sensei. Of course everyone was a bit restless since it was the end of the week, but still too mellow for class B. Sure, there was the usual chatter, but there was something missing.

_ "Aah. Mikan."_ Koko thought as he caught a glimpse of the vacant seat next to Natsume. Luca had caught the bug from Kitsu, and it was spreading around the academy like butter on toast.

As if on que, the lively brunette came bursting in through the door, her hair soaking wet along with the rest of her. He found it hard to keep back his laughter as he saw Natsume's head perk up at the sight of her. He knew he wasn't the only one who saw the obvious feelings in him, but Mikan sure didn't. From the thoughts he heard from her, she was as dense as a truck full of boulders.

"Sorry I'm late! I swear I set my alarm clock too!" She rushed through a small list of excuses between breaths before calming at the sight of Assistant-sensei. She was literally drenched, what with stray drops of water falling from her pigtails, her jacket clinging to her body like a baby koala, and her shoes squishing against the floor.

The fire-castor couldn't keep his eyes off her, but as she sloshed over to her seat, Natsume turned to his manga. It was almost unheard of for Mikan not to try and crawl all over Hotaru, so why…? Koko mentally slapped himself when duh, Hotaru had been sick for the past few days too.

What was with this weather?

The rest of their free class passed by slowly and uneventfully. A couple of times he almost ditched and went outside to watch the grass grow. And apparently he wasn't the only one bored out of his mind. Maybe it was because Mikan had fallen asleep and wasn't being noisy and brightening their day. It surely needed some brightening too.

That girl was almost snoring when Serina's lesson had started, and she was almost too lucky not to have been caught. Koko saw that Natsume was completely focused on her the entire time, his eyes watching her like a snake hunting its prey. Even as the lesson melted into break, neither of them moved. Any fool could see how the boy felt about her. …Expect the girl herself, of course.

Koko could barely believe what the crimson-eyed boy did whilst their peers talked aimlessly. He gingerly took one of her pigtails in hand and kissed her still-drying hair.

_ "Beautiful."_ The word echoed in Koko's head as all the thoughts of all others almost muted.

And the mind reader couldn't help but stare at his classmate. It was amazing Natsume would do something like that so… publicly. He looked so vulnerable to any passerby. Maybe Hyuga was coming down with something too.

Koko was even more surprised when his eyes met with the fiery red ones of the raven-haired Natsume. He received a nice glare in return.

_ "Dammit, Koko… if you say _anything_ I'll burn you to a crisp." _That thought echoed in his head too.

Oh how he wished to answer, "Making me look like burnt toast won't really help me with the ladies, Natsume," but the next class was already starting.

The trademark smile that seemed tattooed to his face grew a little.

Nah, he lied. He liked rainy days. 


	2. Whatever, Bedhead

2. "Whatever, Bedhead."

SumirexKoko

_Sore throats and spring are an interesting time. Sumire with a sore throat makes Koko's day even better._

"Say it."

Sumire resisted the urge to scowl at the mind reader with every fiber or her being. He'd been bothering her about this for the past two weeks, and she was near tearing her hair out. They could've been talking about anything, absolutely _anything_, and somehow it'd always get back to _this_. She refused to respond to those words. In the beginning, she would put up a strong fight and protest with all the yelling she could muster, but after repeating it almost fourteen times her throat felt like sandpaper.

"Come on, Sumire. Just say it."

Her eyes instantly narrowed and she threw him a death glare. 'Just say it.' It wasn't that simple. She couldn't 'Just say it.' That was like telling someone: 'Just try not to drown in the deep end, even though you can't swim.' There always seemed to be a smile attached to his face. Even when she threw rocks at him in her thoughts. It didn't help her become unpissed. Especially now. She couldn't 'Just say it' when he's smiling like an idiot.

The boy beside her let out a long sigh and rested his hands behind his nape. "You know, I have _no_ problem admitting it at all. I don't know why you just can't tell me out loud."

She snuck a glance at him. His smile, his eyes, they both appeared less bright. It was as if his whole face was fading into a big, ugly frown. The deep, ocean blue irises and pitch-black pupils met her large emerald green orbs. As they carefully watched each other he gradually perked up, and his face became the usual blinding light bulb that it always was. She was one of the few people who could actually detect his change in expression. She'd known him for quite a few years and had seen every possible emotion he had.

_'I can't tell you out loud because my throat feels like a cactus, okay? You can read my thoughts anyway. I'm positive you've heard the exact sentence you want me to say in my head about three hundred times now_,' She thought, her eyes narrowing into slits of anger all over again. She was _really_ tired of this.

"I don't mind if it sounds a little scratchy. I want to hear it. In words. Please."

_ 'Koko! It's not that flippin' simple! Thinking it is one thing, and saying it is something completely different! Man, I hate you!' _He wasn't just rocking the boat. He was holding boulders and jumping up and down on it like a kangaroo.

"You don't hate me. That's not a very nice thing to say right now. Tomorrow's graduation. For you, anyways." He crossed his arms over his chest. It was a bit cold outside. Spring was barely popping its head out, yet she would be graduating to the Junior Division the next day. She had always had that two-year advantage on Koko, but it had never really been a problem before. Yet they would soon be in entirely different buildings in entirely different parts of the school.

_'Duh.'_ That's all she had the patience to think to him.

"Sumire! Can you just say it? Just once! We're definitely not going to see each other as much, and I've already told you it at least twenty times! Just say it!" He was getting kind of frustrated with her too, but above all, she was _the most_ frustrated one of the two. He dropped his arms to his sides and his smile wavered for a moment.

"You're a moron," She said bitterly. It was like she swallowed nails every time she spoke. The actual sound of her voice wasn't as bad as she predicted. It was indeed a bit scratchy, but not terribly rough.

"That's not what I meant. And name-calling is not very nice, _Curly_. I guess we just won't talk to each other for a good two years." Sure, name-calling wasn't very nice, but would it be acceptable if she threw a big wad of slushy snow at his face? She didn't know what she hated more at that moment. Koko, the idea of never talking to Koko again, or the realization that she'll have to 'Just say it' to Koko eventually.

A sigh.

She gave in.

"I'll miss you," She whispered.

His smile grew and cockiness formed in his eyes. Of course she noticed this and wanted to rip those eyes out right away, but that wouldn't be very nice either. He put a hand up to his ear. "What was that? I didn't quite catch it."

"I'll miss you." This time the volume of her voice was raised, and the porcupine in her throat emerged yet again.

"…One more time…"

"I'll miss you, you idiot!" She cried, as loud as she could at the time being, and tightly crossed her arms over her stomach. She pouted at the sidewalk below them.

He chuckled and wiped away his crocodile tears of laughter. "You see, it wasn't that hard, was it?"

She ruffled her hand through his spiky dirty-blonde hair, not making much of a difference but still making the mind reader jump back in a ninja move. She was surprised it was pretty soft for looking like a field of spears. "Hey, hey! Don't ruin the masterpiece! You don't see me coming at you with a straightening iron, Curly!"

Her previous anger dissolved and she let out a laugh. "Whatever, Bedhead."


	3. Pouring Love Part 2

3. Pouring Love (Part 2)

LucaxHotaru

He felt like an idiot. Everyone has their days, Mikan may have more of those days then others, but right then he felt like a complete and utter loser. It'd been raining all day. All day long. And he didn't have an umbrella.

What kind of moron doesn't bring an umbrella with him when it's _pouring_ outside? Luca, apparently. What was he doing about it, then? Standing under the awning of the store. Like an idiot.

He hadn't woken up that morning feeling like he needed to bring anything to protect against the rain. It was only a light drizzle back then, but as the day progressed, more and more buckets of water fell. He had no idea that he'd be going to Central Town that day either, but there he was. It was all for something Imai wanted too! He really needed to learn to say no. But Imai did have ways of getting what she desired.

Azure blue eyes followed the crowd of students enjoying their free day away from school. Most everyone had an umbrella. They weren't stupid. He thought about buying one for a minute or two, but the crowd was huge and the rain was coming down like hail.

His thoughts wondered to a certain question. _"What would Natsume do?"_ Then he figured that Natsume had fan girls that would _die_ to share an umbrella with him. Either that or he just wouldn't care.

A sigh escaped his lips and he leaned back against the wall of the shop. The cold inventor had made him get a strange collection of things. He took her list out and reread the neat handwriting again, triple checking that he got everything. He didn't like nor hate running errands for her, but he did it either way since he was scared of the piles of blackmail she most likely had on him.

The most outright bizarre thing she had written down was the last thing listed. Carrots. Carrots? What kind of invention thing whateverness involved carrots? He had no idea, but it reminded him he should buy more carrots for Bunny soon.

…Not in that weather though.

As another ten, fifteen minutes strolled by-he didn't have a watch on either-he realized he was definitely going to have to make a run for it back to the dorms. Bunny was only too lucky not to have been dragged along that day.

He was preparing for his bit of exercise when he spotted a familiar face in the crowd moving towards him. The confusion hit him like a brick.

"I-Imai?" Eyes bluer then the sky on a clear August day widened at the sight of the most apathetic girl in class B holding an umbrella, waiting for him. At least that's what it looked like. Would she just take her stuff and leave? That was a possibility too.

"I'll be taking that. Instead of my paying you, I guess I can share my umbrella until we get back to the dorms. Is that fair with you, Nogi?" Her voice was usual, normal with a hint of ice. Almost like a fall day in November. Neutral weather expect for the chilly breeze.

"Um, but, won't it seem like we're a couple? If we're walking together?"

"Would you rather be soaked through your clothes or have one or two people think we're dating? I highly doubt Natusme or Mikan will see us." After that he decided not to argue. This was _Hotaru_ being _nice_. Willingly.

The walk back was the most awkward thing in his life. The animal boy was going insane. Seriously. His eyes were stuck to the girl walking beside him. He couldn't turn away. There was something there… something he had never noticed before. She was gorgeous. When she wasn't making him buy things or blackmailing him with embarrassing pictures, that is.

Her eyes were intensely violet in the surrounding gray. Her ears were small, only bits shown through her curtain of very short midnight black hair. He couldn't picture it any other way. The hair length had just always… worked.

Her nose was like a tiny little ski-slope. Her lips showed nothing but the usual. Only ordinary expression, which all but screamed "indifferent." Her dainty hand holding the umbrella shielding them both was smooth porcelain. The way she was always so mature and casual made everything she did so… so graceful.

They came to a stop under the awning of the dorms. Reality hit Luca like a brick. She probably knew he was staring. It was too obvious. Butterflies bombarded his stomach and he quickly looked to his shoes. His idiot level was rising dangerously high again.

"That'll be 2000 yen, Nogi." At her words he snapped his head back up.

"What? I thought you said sharing the umbrella was free!" He should've known that would happen.

Purple irises looked bored, but… amused too, maybe? Who could tell with Hotaru? "It was. That bag of carrots for Bunny isn't."

"Bag of…?" No way. She put the carrots on the list for _his_ Bunny? Was she growing a heart? The butterflies flapped their wings wildly. He could feel his face turning the same shade as their uniform. He kept their gaze, though. He had to. He'd fallen into the vast ocean of violet.

He really had to not remember his umbrella more often.


	4. Who Wears Hats Like That In July?

4. Who Wears a Hat Like That in July?

MikanxNatsume

He thought summer was a load of crap. Heck, he _knew_ it. It was always too hot; no matter how short your shorts were and how many buttons you let loose. It was a useless season, really. Simple tasks like walking to classes, climbing out to lie on the roof as he just did, and even _blinking _was enough to make you sweat.

_"Ironic,"_ he thought. Most people complained about the freezing cold of winter. Here the guy with the fire alice was grumbling about the blazing temperatures of the three months of hell. There was no kryptonite to beat the heat, either. Popsicles and ice cream were a little too sweet for him, usually. The academy's pool was _indoors_. All you could do was suffer.

Not that his stupid health was good enough anyway. He could barely do anything these days, let alone something refreshing like swimming.

Academics were hitting a lazy point. It was too hot to learn, though Natsume would give up anything to study his brains out instead of doing the ridiculous amount of missions that stacked up on him like pancakes lately. He had just snuck away from an ability meeting and went straight to the roof of the dorms.

All he was doing was lying down and he was almost sweating! Yet that may have had something to do with the sun hitting on him like a very desperate girl. Summer. Sucked.

He sighed and longed for his manga. Watching the clouds would have to do, though he didn't care if he had nothing to occupy his time with. It was a lot better then being dragged out to yet another stupid mission and coming back late at night, with wounds dotting his body like salt on a cracker.

All he wanted was to be happy. Even a little. Like… like polka dots. In a way. He wanted to be happy without acting like a schoolgirl. She was always smiling. Always. She had that bizarre… gift to make people even like him feel compelled to smile too.

He thought it was weird. _How_ could that girl always be so joyful? Even when things were absolute crap, she found ways to pull through. She may have been stupid, but he had to admit, she was strong. He closed his crimson eyes. He pictured her. It was almost a reflex for him. When in pain, the _fierce_ Natsume Hyuga instantly thought of a beaming Mikan Sakura.

He knew he had to acknowledge his feelings someday. He liked her. A lot. But he shouldn't. His health would do nothing to help, either. He was trying to convince himself that she would be better off with Luca. It was the logical choice. Everyone would get hurt if she ended up with Natsume.

Convincing was harder then it sounded.

Another sigh.

"You know what I really want right now, Tsubasa-senpai?" The all too familiar voice rang in his ears. His eyes snapped open and he bolted up. There she was, walking hand-in-hand with that shadow. The fire-castor felt the urge to jump down there and rip that senpai's same hand off.

As if he could feel the glare of daggers directed at him, Tsubasa glanced to his left and caught sight of Natsume. He smirked and pulled Mikan close to his side.

"Hm?"

She grinned up at her beloved older classmate. "Howalons, of course!" That wasn't shocking. She craved those things like a smoker craved nicotine.

"I'll buy you some, then. If you want." Blue eyes gazed back down at her, the middle-schooler well aware of the blood lust behind him. Natsume was too fun to tease.

"Really? I love you, senpai!" She stopped them both dead in their tracks and gave Tsubasa a big bear hug.

That was pushing it a little too far for our kuro neko friend. He leapt down from the roof flawlessly and started strolling towards the two. His plan? There was none. Just to make that shadow feel some serious pain.

Very unwary of Natsume, Mikan was still all smiles. She knew some of the best people…

"I love you too, shortie."

He just pushed it off a cliff.

Natsume's eyes narrowed into slits and his anger degree rose so high it broke the thermometer.

He set the bastard's hat on fire.


End file.
